I also noted a few other ways to get your Ruth Reichl (and Doc Willoughby and Ian Knauer and Zanne Stewart and…) fix, including their new cookbook and television show.

I mentioned that KRMA-Channel 6 is running “Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie,” on Saturdays at 11. But it’s not the only outlet in town with the program on the schedule. KBDI-Channel 12 is also featuring the show — in fact, you can catch back-to-back episodes today at 4 and 4:30 p.m.

In my opinion, both public TV stations here offer the best food and cooking-related programming in Denver. Think Rick Bayless’s “Mexico: One Plate at a Time,” Ming Tsai’s “Simply Ming,” Lidia Bastianich’s “Lidia’s Italy,” reruns of Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. All good.

Get a look at both station’s programming schedules at their web sites.

Among other things, the article makes the point that while 1368 food imports from China were refused by the FDA last year, both Mexico (1480) and India (1763) had higher numbers of refusals.

Also on the FDA’s most-refused list: Denmark (543), Vietnam (533), Japan (508), and Italy (482). (The FDA can turn back food imports for any number of reasons, from toxins to hygiene problems to faulty paperwork.)

Watch for tighter FDA scrutiny on imports in the near future, and let your mind wander about how that might affect your grocery, and restaurant, bills.

One of the most difficult questions readers ask me goes something like this: “I have a (friend, relative, really annoying ex-spouse) coming to town. Where should I take them to dinner?”

Here’s why it’s tough: When you choose a spot to take visitors, you want it to be really good, but you also want it to be totally unique to Colorado, to show off what makes Colorado different and special.

Sure, you could take people to the Buckhorn Exchange or The Fort (which I often do) but even if the food is good and Colorado-centric, there’s a high kitsch factor to them both, which isn’t for everyone.

You could also take people to one of our finest high-end restaurants, like Fruition or Frasca (which I often do), but while they’re both great, they aren’t necessarily unique to Colorado. Visitors from other big cities will have comparable restaurants in their own towns.

Or, you could take people to a great taco-and-green-chile house, like El Taco de Mexico (which I often do) but these places just aren’t fancy enough for a special evening out.

So, here’s my question: When *you* have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them for dinner?